There is a reason why the Belgium music mecca tops global bucket lists and it has very little to do with BPM
At Tomorrowland, I discovered the magnetic pull of the humble bindi. My first few hours at the venue saw at least a dozen sociable (and high af) strangers at the festival greeting me with a spontaneous shimmy—“Hey, you Eendeeah right?”— accompanied with swift Bollywood-style neck and hand movements. All sealed with speedy selfies and Snapchat stories. Of course I relished the entertainment I spawned. Or rather the red dot between my brows—bought a few months ago in an oppressive Thane- bound local—did.
The previous day, before the festival opened its doors to the public, the visiting press was permitted to run wild in the scenic premises. You only had to set foot on the entry bridge made of wooden planks engraved with ubiquitous festival branding and wanderlust quotes to know you were in for some serious Alice In Wonderlanding (brought to you by generous alcohol sponsors, of course). Earlier in the morning, the apples offered to us as a snack in our Tomorrowland shuttle from Brussels to the venue, Boom, bore impressive, presumably edible branding. Over the next three days, I would be savoring Tomorrowland Freshly Squeezed Kiwi Juice at the media center and wiping juice mooch with napkins bearing the Tomorrowland logo. The locks that secured our Dreamville camps were also branded, just like the highly sought-after cell phone power banks on sale at the venue. Toilet paper at porta-potty was left untouched. I got my first lesson in branding at Tomorrowland.
This story is from the October 2016 edition of RollingStone India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the October 2016 edition of RollingStone India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
SPICE WORLD
Ice Spice ignored the haters, commanded our attention, and became a new kind of star. Next up: a great debut album
Pritam: THE HIT MAKER
INSIDE THE MIND OF HINDI FILM MUSIC DIRECTOR PRITAM CHAKRABORTY, WHO RECENTLY WON HIS FIRST NATIONAL AWARD FOR BRAHMASTRA: PART ONE - SHIVA, ON HOW HE CREATES SCORES THAT ENDURE AND SONGS THAT CLOCK MILLIONS OF STREAMS
K-Drama Flashback: 'My Name'
'My Name,' starring Han So-hee in the titular role, deftly subverts gender norms in society via a story of relentless fight for revenge
LAST NIGHT I DREAMT I WENT TO SILENT HILL AGAIN
The 'Silent Hill 2' Remake has you returning to that restless dream from 23 years ago
FIFTY FIFTY: 'WE'LL CONTINUE TO SHOW OUR BEST SELVES'
Fifty Fifty's single 'Cupid' was a viral hit. The K-pop girl group is back with renewed vigor, releasing its new album, 'Love Tune.' The following interview covers details, insights, and anecdotes
EXCISE DEPT: 'IT WAS IMPORTANT TO CREATE STRONG, BOLD CONTRASTS'
From An Armory Of Instruments To Personal Stories Told With An Uncharacteristic Straightforwardness, The Delhi/Goa Band Are Taking Over The World With Their Latest Full-Length
Mali is Heading to SXSW Sydney in October
For the longest time I have known that my music has a significant market outside the country,' says the Chennai/Mumbai pop artist
Ji Chang-wook, Lee Jun-ho, and Cha Eun-woo to Star in Superhero K-Dramas
Features the upcoming 'Twelve,' 'Cashero,' and 'The Wonder Fools' with the Korean stars in exciting new roles
Yoon Seobin Makes a Stylish Comeback with 'Rizz'
The Korean actor and singer well-known for starring in the K-drama Kissable Lips' returns to the music scene after a 10 months hiatus
Markio Tanaldo Pours Out Emotions in 'Mera Koi Na'
The Arunachal Pradesh singer-songwriter's second release is a poignant Hindi song that pays tribute to his late father